Women’s WC: Harmanpreet rues poor death-overs batting, Healy rejoices entering ‘new territory’ after record chase

VISAKHAPATNAM: Following her side’s three-wicket loss to defending champions Australia in the ICC Women’s World Cup, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur rued team’s poor performance with the bat in death overs, while her Aussie counterpart Alyssa Healy rejoiced entering a “new territory” as they chased down the highest total ever in the format.

The India-Australia clash at the Women’s World Cup was truly the one for the ages as it was individuals and team records galore throughout the entirety of the match, but it was Healy’s instant classic knock of 142 in 107 balls, which sealed the deal for Australia while chasing 331 runs, who faced a valiant fightback from the Indian team, which was just not enough.

Speaking after the match, Harmanpreet spoke on how her side lost wickets during the last six to seven overs and could not capitalise on what was a good batting wicket. During the last five overs or so, India went from being five down for 300-odd to 330 all out in 48.5 overs.

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“They (opening batters) have been giving us an excellent start, and because of that, we are able to post such totals. We did well, but I think the last five overs cost us. In the last three games, we were unable to bat in the middle overs; the lower order took on the responsibility and did the job for us. However, I think the first 40 overs were really good, and the last 10 overs, we were not executing as well. So I think in a game, these things are going to happen. You are not going to be 100 per cent all the time, but it is very important how you come back,” she said.

Harmanpreet expressed that with her side at third spot having won and lost two each, the next two matches are important and pointed to spinner Shree Charani, who took 3/41, as one of the positives.

“She is always there whenever the team needs her. And today also she bowled really well. To all their batters, even when Healy was batting, she was not giving her anything easily. So we have a lot of hope from her. Whenever she is there she can keep giving us breakthroughs,” added the Indian skipper.

“I think two bad games are not going to make a big difference for us, going forward a lot of things we need to work it out. Hopefully, we will come up with the best approach,” she added.

Healy on the other hand, expressed happiness on taking the two points and said that the run-chase has helped them gain confidence.

“We will take those two points, to chase down 330 in a 50-over game for us. It is new territory, so I am glad that we have the confidence to do that now, and hopefully we do not have to do it again. But if we do, then we know we can do it,” said the skipper.

Healy also admitted that Phoebe Litchfield, the opener takes a lot of pressure of her and hailed all-rounder Annabel Sutherland for her five-wicket haul as well.

“Litchfield takes a lot of pressure off me, and you will think we are chilled out on the other end, knowing what she does. We just sort of locked in and got ourselves off to a good start, and we were able to just maintain that run rate right the way through, which is cool. She (Sutherland) is, and I think she is probably the pick of our bowlers from a length of perspective. I think she identified the length that she needed to bowl and executed beautifully. The way that we hung in there and ultimately restricted them to 330, which sounds a little bit stupid, but I think we pegged them right back in the last ten overs. I think the fact that we can hang in there and do that will give us great confidence,” she added.

On her 95-run stand with all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, the skipper hailed her partner’s maturity. “To hang in there, partnerships are key. It’s something we’ve been lacking probably in the first couple of games. So the fact that each person that came in was able to build a little partnership, and the fact that we can have a significant one and be there somewhat at the end. Ash played beautifully today and ultimately got most of the job done, which was awesome. I hope so (everyone is fit). I mean, the cramp worm’s going around our group at the moment, but we have got a couple of days off here in Vizag, so hopefully we can rest, recover and enjoy the town,” she added.

Healy also hailed Charani, saying that she was a “real threat”. “So, limiting her damage to an extent and try and attack some of the other bowlers, I think, was really key. So, we did really well adapting to that,” she concluded.

Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first. Openers Pratika Rawal (75 in 96 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and Mandhana (80 in 66 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) laid down the platform with an incredible 155-run stand for the opening wicket. However, India could not capitalise on it a lot as a five-wicket haul from Annabel Sutherland (5/40) and Sophie Molineux (3/75) managed to take regular wickets later on.

After exploits from Mandhana-Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, the skipper (22 in 17 balls, with three fours), Jemimah Rodrigues (33 in 21 balls, with five fours), and Richa Ghosh (32 in 22 balls, with three fours and two sixes) walked the talk with an attacking approach, but could not convert their starts to milestones as Sutherland and Molineux took India from 234/2 in 36.2 overs to 330 all out in 48.5 overs.

During the run-chase, Healy started off proceedings with an 85-run stand to lay down the partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (40 in 39 balls, with six fours and a six). After Shree Charani (3/41) removed Litchfield, Perry came at number three but retired hurt with the score at 154/1. India made a brief inroad in the match, as Deepti Sharma removed Beth Mooney (4) and Charani got Annabel Sutherland (0).

However, Healy got able support from Ashleigh Gardner (45 in 46 balls, with three fours and a six), taking the Aussies past the 260-run mark. When Charani got Healy at a score of 265, it injected new life into the Indian team, who reduced the Aussies to 303/7 in 45.1 overs.

The experienced Perry (47* in 52 balls, with five fours and a six) returned to bat and finished the match with Kim Garth (14* in 13 balls, with two fours). Perry sealed the game with a six, with an over left. Healy got the ‘Player of the Match’ award for her masterclass knock. (ANI)